


Business, Family, what is the difference?

by Braxdovah



Category: Vampire: The Masquerade, White Wolf
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:00:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23778013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Braxdovah/pseuds/Braxdovah
Relationships: Valerius/Ferrucio





	Business, Family, what is the difference?

Phone text to Val:   
Want to chat re: Bella and some things. Safe to call you or is this a convo we should have outside of House? 

Response: I will be at the club in five. Call you when I get there. 

From Ferrucio: Works for me. 

Val video calls Ferrucio when he gets in. His hair is a bit looser, tousled. He is kicked back in the desk chair, tapping the bastone on his palm.

Ferrucio will answer the call quickly - the video feed revealing that he's in his own office - the skyline and evening lights of Santa Monica are visible behind him. He’s clearly been interacting with mortals that evening - Val can easily recognize the healthier skin tone that makeup achieves. His movements are slightly slower than usual - though it could easily be a trick of a lagging video feed.   
“No rest for the wicked, is there?” Though his voice sounds tired, there's still that usual gleam of delight in his blue eyes as he gazes at Valerius. 

“Never. What did you want to discuss?” Valerius’ clothing lacks the standard precision and he seems keyed up. 

Ferrucio will start to respond before he registers the details of the sight before him.   
"... It can wait - what's got your hackles up?"

Val lays the bastone on the desk and pulls a large chunk of ash diamond out of his pocket.   
A faint green can be seen at the center of the layers. “The weather makes me need /things/ and then ‘Bastian… I love that boy, he is my second childer. Thought he was lost to us.” 

Ferrucio’s eyes will flit between the diamond and Valerius, and he’ll shift position to relax in his chair slightly.   
“So... the weather and the happy return of your second childe?” Ferrucio muses slightly, watching his brother. “Would that I was there to celebrate it with you... instead I’m stuck in Santa Monica waiting for whenever the hell Carmella’s plane gets in tonight.” 

“He made a dramatic entrance. Apparently, this was an infernalist that had sold a cursed sword to anarchs.” He sets the diamond aside. “A story for another night, we can discuss it later. So Carmella is visiting you, what did you want to discuss with me privately?” 

Ferrucio will nod at his words.   
“You definitely owe me story time later... and yeah, the kid is visiting me after the heat in Michigan got bumped up a few notches - better safe than sorry I guess,” He sighs, sitting up straighter again. “As far as what I wanted to discuss... This is the second set of issues that have been dropped on my plate of late tangentially related to one of our two Consulente Isabellas... And I’m curious as to your thoughts on some things. Obviously the conversation is better had without House over both our shoulders.” 

“Which is the first issue?” Val raises a brow curiously. “And which one?” 

“Well, in regards to the first, some allies of mine have reached out to me regarding Vincent out in OKC,” Ferrucio explains. “In typical dumb-kid fashion, Vincent has been alienating the local Anarchs in his attempt to get the Family paid it’s dues - problem is that the way he’s goin, it’s going to get the Family tossed outta there. So I gotta find some time to teach the little numbfuck diplomacy without him running to one of the ladies who dote on him.” 

“Personally, I think he lied and got her to be removed so he could step up. Let him fuck up and get taken out.” Val seems annoyed and pops his jaw. 

“If the fuck up continues, it’s more than just him that gets taken out - we lose OKC altogether,” Ferrucio’s voice carries a mix of annoyance and amusement at his brother’s blunt assessment. “Yeah he probably did lie - that little shit isn’t exactly the poster child for virtuous behaviors - but I’m looking at a bigger picture of the Family losing any presence in OKC entirely.” 

Val sighs and rubs his temples. “You are going to go talk sense to him, you think he will run to who? Isabella? She wasn’t happy about him taking Don to begin with.” 

“Both of the ladies dote on the little fucker, don’t they?” Ferrucio’s tone is bemused. “And I’m only considering an in-person visit as a last resort. Lord knows I have enough that I’d rather focus on instead of reprimanding someone else’s kid... I’d just rather not see us lose that much effort and work just because of a dumb kid’s fuck ups.”   
He’ll reach off screen for a moment and come back with a glass, taking a few sips from it before he speaks again.   
“Mm, that said... The problem that is Isabella Rossellini is likely going to stay a concern to me for quite some time. It’s starting to feel like every time I turn around, she’s made another enemy... yet now she’s one of the Consulente?” 

Val almost snarls at the name. “She needs to get her head fucking straight. Who is it now? With any luck, they will kill each other.” He pulls a flask out and takes a sip. “There are a lot of questions about where both Bellas truly hold loyalty. She has a nasty habit of reaching too high and too fast.” 

“Well there’s the thing that Carm made us aware of, there’s the Prince she pissed off enough to threaten to Bloodhunt her,” Ferrucio will tick off on each finger. “The last Prince she pissed off enough to almost toss the Giovanni out of Annarbor entirely, the fact that all I hear about is her ruffling people’s feathers the wrong way...”   
He sighs, and he’ll shake his head.   
“More like she fumbles and flails around too high and too fast - if it were reaching, there’d at least be some control in the gesture,” He shakes his head. “There’s bombastic and foolhardy, then there’s the Bellas.” 

Val grumbles into his drink. “And she might think she has a shot at Bastian. I just got him back, I won’t lose him to her. But the point is we should have to clean up after Consulente. What do you want to do about it?” 

“They don’t got a shot at Bastian anymore than anyone has a shot at taking Carmella or from me.’’


End file.
